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Powered by CMY, Culture Spring is a Youth-Led Impact Agency that works with organisations and businesses to assist them in adapting to the evolving needs of our diverse Australian community and connect them to our network of multicultural young people. Through this, Culture Spring aims to transform organisations, institutions and workplaces, making them more inclusive and culturally safe for our multicultural community.
Culture Spring helps bring the perspectives and experiences of multicultural young people to the forefront of your work, workplace, project, or challenge, so that they are empowered to be active participants and leaders. Culture Spring is governed by a committee of management who are a team of young people that bring their expertise, lived experience and passion for change-making.
Vision
A future where multicultural young people can drive, shape and become the change they want.
Mission
Break down barriers and build new bridges to enable multicultural young people to influence, guide, and lead change.
Purpose
To challenge and build new systems and structures so that multicultural young people can thrive.
Meet the Committee of Management
Nahshon Neru (Project Lead)
Nahshon Neru (Project Lead)
Nahshon, or Nahsh (he/him), is the incredible Project Lead for Culture Spring. He coordinates the unit as a whole, works on the development of the business and systems internally, and connects with key partners to help deliver the future we are trying to build.
Nahsh has a long background in community and creative projects, is a graphic designer, and an absolute fiend for basketball. Born in Samoa and growing up in Aotearoa New Zealand, he is incredibly passionate about creating systems of change for multicultural young people, and making them realise how powerful, beautiful, and meaningful they are to the communities they come from and the communities they find.
Rosie Thyer (Co-Chair)
Rosie Thyer (Co-Chair)
Rosie (she/her) is a university student, studying a Bachelor of Law (Honours) and Global Studies. Rosie identifies as a Vietnamese and South-East European person and acknowledges that her upbringing in Melbourne has allowed her to make use of the opportunities available and use her privilege for change. She believes that the Culture Spring’s work has the ability to enforce structural change, whilst striving to place multicultural young people at the forefront of decision making processes.
Rosie has extensive experience working in Local Council Groups advocating for change, in academic settings and in the wider community. She works for the Victorian Multicultural Commission in their Multicultural Youth Network, whilst also advocating for ethical engagement in other community platforms.
She is passionate about her studies and hopes to incorporate social justice and human rights with the law. Since being part of Culture Spring, Rosie has been exposed to the barriers and motivations that come with working in the sector and hopes to continue to learn as the youth-led unit develops.
Thomas Feng (Co-Chair)
Thomas Feng (Co-Chair)
Thomas Feng 冯子晋 (he/him) is a Chinese-Australian writer, advocate and photographer who has been on the Culture Spring Committee of Management since August 2022.
Professionally, he works as Media and Communications Manager for Human Rights Law Centre, with extensive communications, strategy, media and community engagement experience which focuses on translating complex issues into compelling campaigns, particularly to improve diverse and marginalised communities.
Thomas previously led high-performing, creative teams at Youth Affairs Council Victoria and Road to Refuge, centring lived experience and using advocacy on a number of issues, including the reinstatement for a Federal Minister for Youth, more COVID-19 support for young people, raising the age of criminal responsibility, and building stronger social connection between people seeking asylum and communities.
Thomas has been heavily involved in the youth sector for a decade, and is passionate about making spaces where young people can expand their realm of possibilities.
Thomas holds a Bachelor of Commerce from The University of Melbourne, and was a 2021 Centre for Australian Progress Fellow.
Ai-Lin Chang
Ai-Lin Chang
Ai-Lin Chang is 29 years old and a second-gen Chinese Malaysian migrant living on Bunurong Country in Melbourne/Naarm’s inner west. Her day job is working as a Senior Engagement Adviser for the Suburban Rail Loop.
She is extremely passionate about ensuring all underrepresented voices get a say at the decision-making table, whether it’s in public policy or major legacy projects or anything else. Fundamentally everyone should have a say in the decisions that affect their livelihoods, but we know this often isn’t the case. She also believes that a lot of the structural inequity issues we see can be addressed by empowering the people affected to have a voice and shape that decisions that matter to them.
Ai-Lin bring to the table her own lived experiences, as well as her knowledge of meaningful and robust community engagement processes and experiences working in management consulting.
Emily Unity
Emily Unity
Emily Unity is a lived and living experience professional who is passionate about advocating for the human rights of all people, regardless of background, identity, or intersectionality.
Emily is currently the Lived Experience Lead for the Royal Children’s Hospital, on the Committees of Management for VMIAC (State Consumer Peak) and Centre for Multicultural Youth, on the boards for Midsumma and Intertwine, and advisory committees for UNICEF, Headspace, Beyond Blue, CYDA, Orygen, and more.
For their work, Emily was recently awarded Mental Health Advocate of the Year, Youth of the Year, Disability Leadership Award, Innovation in Protecting Children Award, Children and Youth Empowerment Award, Community Leadership Award, 25 Under 25, 30 Under 30, and inducted in the first cohort of the Multicultural Honor Roll.
Emily grounds their work in their intersectional experiences of mental health, disability, LGBTQIA+, homelessness, neurodiversity, and being a young carer from a refugee and migrant background.
Kevin Kapeke
Kevin Kapeke
Kevin works as the Engagement Coordinator, Young People at VicHealth. He sits within the CEO’s office and in close partnership with all teams across VicHealth. He is responsible for coordinating and managing VicHealth’s partnerships with youth organisations, as well as supporting the integration of voices, lived experience and diverse perspectives of young people across Victoria into the work of VicHealth. Kevin also serves on the Africa Day Australia, Zimbabwean Community, and YMCA boards.
Kimberley Chu
Kimberley Chu
Kimberley Chu has always been a passionate advocate for diverse communities, especially multicultural communities and youth. As a young person who moved to Australia a few years ago, she bring a unique perspective to community engagement, having experienced life in both metropolitan and regional areas, where she had to navigate the system on her own.
Working in the employment sector within a non-profit setting over the past three years has provided Kimberley with valuable insights and connections. Engaging with individuals from all walks of life and listening to their stories has driven her commitment to speak up for those who might not have a loud voice to do so. This experience has motivated her to advocate for systemic change for our communities.
In addition, Kimberley has had the privilege of serving as a board member, supporting regional multicultural communities to foster inclusion and social cohesion through innovative and culturally appropriate strategies. She is eager to bring her own lived experiences and professional background to Culture Spring, contributing to our shared goal of creating a more equitable world.
Krushnadevsinh (Kano) Ravalji
Krushnadevsinh (Kano) Ravalji
Krushnadevsinh (Kano) Ravalji is the founder of Third Culture Australia and an award-winning speaker, consultant, and trainer. Kano works with young people, multicultural communities and organisations to promote inclusion, equity and leadership.
Kano led a project with the North Melbourne Football Club – The Huddle, to encourage multicultural people to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations and has conducted research with the Australian National University and UNICEF into the experiences of young people with institutionalised racism. Kano is a member of the Western Metropolitan Partnership and previously worked in the Access and Inclusion team at the Victorian Electoral Commission, increasing the CALD community’s participation in the democratic process over three elections. These organisations enable Kano to broaden his engagement with the community, and allow him to advise policy-making that is culturally appropriate, inclusive and helps organisations become more culturally responsive. He shares his common migration experience to empower others to own their stories and be confident in their identities.
Mahsa Nabizada
Mahsa Nabizada
Mahsa is an Afghan-Australian based in Melbourne, passionately dedicated to education, storytelling, gender equality, and education. As a producer at ABC, she channels her stosrytelling skills to create an impactful and powerful platform for young people. She is completing a Bachelor of Science degree, with a focus on psychology and neuroscience. Additionally, she serves as the Chief People Officer at the Melbourne Space Program, driven by her enthusiasm for space exploration and industry expansion.
Being part of Culture Spring aligns with Mahsa’s commitment to inclusivity and cultural safety for our diverse community. Her extensive experience in community service and advocacy, particularly in supporting diverse communities and promoting social equity, uniquely positions her to contribute effectively to the transformation of organisations and workplaces. Mahsa is dedicated to empowering multicultural young people, bringing their perspectives to the forefront, and ensuring they become active participants and leaders in driving change.
Mohamed Omer
Mohamed Omer
Mohamed (he/him) is a chemical engineering student, anti-racism advocate and public servant. He is a proud Sudanese man who has been working in student advocacy for the past 5 years and has been leading events and initiatives for multicultural youth at the University of Melbourne from holding festivals, publishing magazines and creating safe spaces through his role at the student union.
He created the annual Racism at the University of Melbourne Report which details students experiences of social and institutional racism at the University, with recommendations to guide them in addressing the issues. The third edition, published in 2023, pushed the University to begin concrete work on its anti-racism strategy and highlighted the importance of this work in the sector.
Mohamed is currently also the co-chair at Welcoming Australia’s Student Advisory Committee which aims to serve as an advisory body of students to support and guide the work of Welcoming Australia.
Safar Ibrahimi
Safar Ibrahimi
Safar Ibrahimi, Afghan/Hazara/Australian person, is a Democracy Ambassador (DA) who helps Multicultural Communities better their understanding about elections and democracy. It is his belief to ensure voting is inclusive and easily understood for all.
In the past 6 years, Safar has been working as a community consultant, recruiter and program developer across public and not for profit, and most recently has been working as stakeholder’s consultant engagement where he focuses on building new partnerships with employer and community stakeholders, to create employment opportunities to meet the needs of jobseekers, businesses, and the local communities.
Safar has a driving passion for social justice but on the side, also enjoys reading and playing sport.
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